Gurus are spiritual gurus who share God’s wisdom and guidance. Through the early 1700s, nine subsequent Gurus built on Guru Nanak’s fundamental revelations, culminating in Guru Gobind Singh’s completion of the Sikh holy book and declaration of Guru Granth Sahib as the ultimate Guru.

Who was the 10th Sikh Guru?

Guru Govind Singh was the 10th Sikh Guru. He was born in 1666 in Patna, Bihar, India, and succeeded his father, Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, as the Guru in 1675 at the age of nine.

Who was the founder of Sikhism?

Guru Nanak was the founder of Sikhism. He was the first of the ten Sikh Gurus and preached the message of one God, equality, and social justice, which formed the foundation of Sikhism.

Who was the sixth Guru of Sikh?

The sixth Guru of Sikhism was Guru Hargobind, who succeeded his father, Guru Arjan Dev, as the Guru in 1606. He was a military leader and introduced the concept of the “Miri-Piri” system, which emphasized both spiritual and temporal aspects of Sikh life. He also initiated the construction of the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikh authority.

How was power passed from one Sikh Guru to the next?

In Sikhism, the power is believed to be passed from one Guru to the next through a process called “Guruship.” The current Guru, before his passing, would appoint his successor, also known as “Guru Angad,” based on his spiritual and moral qualities. This process of succession continued through the ten Sikh Gurus, with each Guru appointing his successor, until the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy scripture, was declared as the eternal Guru and the final authority for Sikhs.

Who was the First Sikh Guru?

The first Sikh Guru was Guru Nanak Dev Ji, who founded Sikhism in the 15th century. He was born in 1469 in Talwandi, a village in present-day Pakistan, and spent his life traveling and spreading his teachings of one God, equality, and social justice.

Which Sikh Guru was executed by the Mughals?

The fifth Sikh Guru, Guru Arjan Dev Ji, was executed by the Mughals. Guru Arjan Dev Ji was the son of Guru Ram Das Ji and the father of Guru Hargobind Ji. He became the fifth Guru of Sikhism in 1581 and compiled the first official version of the Sikh scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib. He was executed in 1606 by Mughal Emperor Jahangir.

Which Sikh Guru built the Golden Temple?

The foundation of the Golden Temple, also known as Harmandir Sahib, was laid by the fourth Sikh Guru, Guru Ram Das Ji. Guru Ram Das Ji was the father of Guru Arjan Dev Ji, who later completed the construction of the Golden Temple.

Who started the Langar system?

Guru Nanak Dev ji started the Langar system. The Langar system promotes equality, humility, and seva in Sikhism, and it continues to be an integral part of Sikh tradition and values, providing food and hospitality to all who visit Gurdwaras around the world.

List of Sikh Gurus: Trick to Remember the List of 10 Sikh Gurus Names In Order

By BYJU'S Exam Prep

Updated on: September 25th, 2023

Knowing the list of Sikh Gurus is important for competitive exams as it is a significant part of Sikh history and culture. Many competitive exams, including SSC exams, may have questions related to Sikhism, and knowing the names of the Sikh Gurus in order is essential to answer such questions accurately. So, here we are discussing 10 Sikh Gurus and their contributions for upcoming exams like SSC CGL/ CHSL/ MTS/ GD Constable, etc.

Table of content

1. History of Sikhism
2. List of 10 Sikh Gurus’ Names
3. Trick To Remember Sikh Gurus’ Names in Order
4. 11th Sikh Guru
5. Sikh Guru List PDF

History of Sikhism

Sikhism is derived from Sikh, ‘Sikh’ is a Sanskrit word that means ‘disciple’. The era of Sikhism started in 1469, through the birth of Guru Nanak Dev in 1469, and ended in human form with the death of Guru Govind Singh in 1708. With about 25 million Sikhs worldwide, Sikhism is the world’s fifth-largest religion. We have provided the complete list and details of 10 Gurus Names along with the tricks to remember them.

List of 10 Sikh Gurus’ Names

Knowing the names of Sikh Gurus are important for candidates preparing for SSC exams as questions related to Sikh history and culture, including their, are often asked in exams. It’s important to familiarize yourself with these names and their contributions to Sikhism to ensure you are well-prepared for your SSC and Railway exams.

Guru Nanak Dev (1469 – 1539)

He was the first of all the gurus of Sikh, he founded the Sikh religion, introducing the concept of one God
He started the Guru Ka Langar. As per the Sikh religion, langar is a term that refers to a common kitchen/ community kitchen where food is served to everyone for free without any discrimination of caste, religion, color, gender, and class
He was a contemporary of Babur (Mughal Emperor)
He emphasized the equality of women and rejected the path of renunciation
His teachings are composed in Adi Granth or Granth Sahib.

Guru Angad (1538 – 1552)

He was the second of all Gurus
Invented a new script called Guru-Mukhi viz. written form of Punjabi script
Played an instrumental role in the popularization and expansion of the system of Guru ka Langar

Guru Amardas (1552 – 1574)

He introduced the Anand Karaj Marriage ceremony for Sikhs, which was done to replace the Hindu form
Strengthened Guru ka Langar tradition
Established the Piri and Maji systems of religious mission for women and men, respectively
Abolished the custom of Sati and Purdah system among the Sikhs
He was a contemporary of Akbar (Mughal Emperor)

Guru Ramdas (1574 – 1581)

He was the fourth Guru of all Gurus
Founded Amritsar in 1577 on the land granted by Akbar
Started the construction of Golden Temple/ Swarna Mandir at Amritsar

Guru Arjun Dev (1581 – 1606)

Composed Adi Granth in 1604. Adi Granth is a scripture of Sikhs
Completed the construction of the Golden Temple/ Sri Darbar Sahib
founded the town of Tarn Taran Sahib which is Goindwal Sahib
He requested Mian Mir (Muslim Sufi) to lay the cornerstone of Harmandir Sahib
Executed by Jahangir on charges of helping Prince Khusrau with money and prayer
He was acclaimed as Shaheedan-de-Sartaj (The crown of martyrs)

Guru Hargovind (1606 – 1645)

Son of Guru Arjan Dev
Transformed the Sikh into a military community. He was known as ‘Soldier Saint’
He wages wars against Jahangir and Shah Jahan (Mughal Emperors)
Established Akal Takht and fortified Amritsar

Guru Har Rai (1645 – 1661)

He avoided any conflict with Aurangzeb (Mughal Emperor) and devoted most of his efforts to missionary work
Though he was a man of peace, however, he never disbanded the armed Sikh warriors
He gave shelter to Shah Jahan’s eldest son, Dara Shikoh, who was later tormented by Aurangzeb

Guru Har Kishan (1661 – 1664)

He was the youngest of all Sikh Gurus. He was given the title of Guru at the age of five
He was summoned to Delhi by Aurangzeb under framed charges of anti-Islamic blasphemy

Guru Teg Bahadur (1664 – 1675)

He established the town of Anandpur
He was executed in Delhi by Aurangzeb for not embracing Islam.
He called himself Sachcha Badshah

Guru Govind Singh (1675 – 1708)

He was son of Guru Tegh Bahadur. He became Guru after the martyrdom of his father
He founded a warrior community known as Khalsa in 1699. Under Khalsa, he changed Sikhs into a saint-soldier for protecting themselves
Introduced a new rite Pahul
He made his headquarters at Makhowal or Anandpur. He compiled a supplementary Granth
He joined Bahadur Shah’s camp as a noble
He was the last Sikh Guru in human form and he passed the Guruship of Shiks to the Guru Granth Sahib

Also, check Famous Temples in India

Trick To Remember Sikh Gurus’ Names in Order

Nanak Angdan kr Amar ho Ram ke pass chale gaye lekin Arjun ne Govind ki Rai li or kitni baduri se Kudh Govind ban gaye.

Guru Nanak (1469 – 1538)
Guru Angad (1538 – 1552)
Guru Amardas (1552 – 1574)
Guru Ramdas (1574 – 1581)
Guru Arjundev (1581 – 1606)
Guru Hargovind (1606 – 1645)
Guru Har Rai (1645 – 1661)
Guru Har Kishan (1661 – 1664)
Guru Teg Bahadur (1664 – 1675)
Guru Govind Singh (1675 – 1708)

11th Sikh Guru

The 11th Guru of Sikhism is Guru Granth Sahib, which is considered the eternal Guru. Also known as the Adi Granth, the Guru Granth Sahib is a collection of sacred hymns and compositions written by the Sikh Gurus, as well as by other saints and poets from different spiritual traditions, including Hindu and Muslim. It is considered the embodiment of the Guru’s teachings and guidance and is central to Sikh worship and practices.

Sikh Guru List PDF

Knowing the names of the Sikh Gurus can help candidates interpret and analyze historical events and developments related to Sikhism. Questions related to the succession of Sikh Gurus, their teachings, and their impact on Sikh society may be asked in exams, and remembering the names of the Sikh Guru at the fingertips is essential to provide accurate answers. The direct link to download the Sikh Guru List is provided below.

Sikh Guru List PDF (To be activated soon)

Therefore, candidates preparing for SSC exams should ensure they are familiar with the list of Sikh Gurus to enhance their chances of success in such exams.